Implantable pulse generators (IPGs) such as pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), which are used in the treatment of cardiac conditions, and neurornodulators or neurostimulators, which are used in chronic pain management or the actuation and control of other body systems, commonly include a housing, feedthrus, and a connector assembly that is enclosed in a header.
The connector assembly generally includes a bore into which an implantable medical lead may be inserted. Along the bore may be disposed one or more ring connectors positioned to contact corresponding ring terminals of a proximal end of the implantable medical lead when the proximal end is inserted into the connector assembly. The ring connectors are electrically coupled to the feedthrus, which in turn are electrically coupled to electrical components within the housing. Such electrical components may control, among other things, sensing, pacing, and defibrillation performed by the IPG.
Because the ring connectors form the primary means of sending and receiving electrical signals to the implantable medical leads, the connection between a given ring connector and its corresponding feedthru is critical to reliable operation of the IPG. Conventional methods in which a ribbon is resistance welded between a ring connector and its corresponding feedthru are prone to weld defects that undermine the strength and reliability of the ring connector-to-feedthru connection and, ultimately, the IPG as a whole.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for systems and methods that improve the strength and reliability of the electrical connection between the ring connectors and their corresponding feedthrus by reducing the likelihood of weld defects.